


Sugar, Spice, and Sentiments

by Lululeigh, UntramenTaro



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Comfort, Dancing, F/M, Flowers, Fluff and Smut, Marriage, Nohr | Conquest Route, Sleepy Cuddles, Suits and Dresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-28 13:33:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10104950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lululeigh/pseuds/Lululeigh, https://archiveofourown.org/users/UntramenTaro/pseuds/UntramenTaro
Summary: Shortly after the coronation for King Xander, an extravagant ball is held in celebration, with all the royal siblings and their significant others expected to attend. Despite it being years since he has don any of his suits, the young princess is certain that her husband will be the most handsome in attendance.





	

**Author's Note:**

> It is finally March 3rd—Happy Anniversary Gunter! I can't believe it's been one year since I married him in my Conquest file. Thank you my precious fictional husband for all the feelings you've given me this past year. 
> 
> I want to give a huge thank you to UntramenTaro for helping me out with the two middle sections. Staying up long nights to plan, laugh, and cry about this was worth it. We hope you all enjoy! 
> 
> (Also I will have a thread on Twitter including the refs I used for their outfits! You can find me as lululeighsworld!)

“Come on Gunter! The ball is waiting for us!”

The loud clicking of heels could be heard from the front room, the youthful princess poking her head around the corner to see why on earth her date was taking so much time to get ready.

“Ah, just one moment longer my lady. It’s been awhile since I’ve… done this… there, perfect.”

Gunter looked himself in the mirror and smiled, finally having done his tie to his satisfaction after fussing over it for countless minutes now. Although he had not forgotten the steps needed to tie one, it had been quite a few years since he had attended an event which required him to dress up in a suit and tie. Checking himself over in the wall mirror for the last time, making sure his pocket square was not wrinkled and adjusting his suit jacket, he turned around to face Corrin, looking for her opinion.

Unfortunately, the response he received was silence, the princess standing in the doorway wide-eyed and speechless as a light blush dusted her cheeks. He could not help but laugh at her reaction, finding it very touching to know that he was still charming even in his old age.

The outfit he had decided on for the evening was based on Corrin’s suggestions so they could match; purple and flowers. He was happy to oblige, sporting a black jacket with a high collar that went a little bit longer than his waist and a vest with a low neckline. His dress shirt was crisp and unwrinkled, his subtle flower print tie and pocket square pulling the ensemble together nicely. The dress shoes were a bit stiff but not uncomfortable, Gunter relieved that they were still in good shape after all these years. He didn’t mind dressing up in the slightest, especially when his wife looked just as beautiful as she stood there star struck in the entryway.

She eventually broke out of her daze as he closed the distance between them, raising his hand to her hair and tugging gently. “Your hair piece is loose my lady. Wouldn’t want it falling out mid-dance, now would we?” He carefully secured the flower decoration back into her hair with his nimble fingers, it fastened behind her ear as the rest of her locks were pulled back into an elegant low bun.

“Thank you,” she replied, reaching up on tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. As she stepped back after pulling away, Gunter took the chance to cherish how beautiful she looked in the moment. Her hairstyle was simple yet elegant, a few curls which were too short framing her face, bangs parted in the middle and pinned to either side so that they wouldn’t obscure her vision. The makeup she wore was light; Corrin was never overly interested in the products, but on special occasions like tonight she enjoyed dolling herself up with eye makeup and lipstick. Luckily her shade of lipstick which had been chosen was light, otherwise the kiss she had placed on his cheek a moment ago would have left a mark behind. Not that he minded, but the last thing he wanted to do was wipe her display of affection away before heading out.

The gown she was wearing was a gift from her sisters; having been the leader of her army meant Corrin had no way of purchasing such fine garments for fancy events. Although Camilla and Elise had requested it to be tailored for their sister, it seemed that they knew their sister’s tastes well as it suited her perfectly. Despite it being a ball gown, there was not too many layers of tulle to it, the strapless purple dress fitting her snug around the waist before cascading down around her small frame, the garment tailored to her height while she was wearing heels so that it wouldn’t brush against the floor or cause her to trip. The purple taffeta and black tulle matched nicely with his own outfit as well, Gunter mentally taking note that Corrin’s sisters also had a keen eye for fashion.

“What do you think? It’s not too flashy, is it?” She turned in a small circle so that he could see the full dress, including the lace up back. He hummed in content and reached out to take her hand, placing a kiss on her smooth skin. “You look extraordinarily beautiful tonight Corrin. Every set of eyes at the ball won’t be able to look away.” He smiled tenderly as a pink blush rose to her cheeks again, though he was thrown off guard by the sudden determined look in her eye.

“The only ones that matter to me will be those which belong to the person I love.”

“Lady Corrin…” This time he was the one in a daze; he still was not use to her bold expressions, his heart taking a moment to recover from the sudden quickening of its usual pace. She moved forward to kiss him quickly, moving out of his reach before he could pull her back in for another.

“Shall we be going? We shouldn’t be late to brother’s first ball held as king.”

Gunter coughed to clear his throat and regain his composure, stepping forward to offer her his arm to hold onto. “Right beside you, my lady. Let us depart.”

\-----

Arriving at the ball a little bit late turned out to be no problem at all, the event’s reception packed with people who were enjoying finger foods and delicious wine. Her siblings were there to greet them as soon as they walked into the room, Camilla and Elise complimenting her dress as Leo and Xander each extended a handshake to the older knight. Soon they were surrounded by guests who wanted to make small talk with the middle princess, servers appearing out of nowhere with glasses of dark red wine and different cheeses for them. He sighed, taking a glass and trying to convince himself that he would enjoy the beverage.

As Corrin made light conversation with her siblings and a few other attendees, hanging onto Gunter’s arm and sipping her wine, he permitted himself a look around the room, only to have his heart drop in an instant. The stares from the other guests were anything but pleasant, showing their disapproval of the princess’s choice of husband clearly on their faces. Gunter turned his gaze to the floor, deciding to keep his observation to himself for the time being so that it wouldn’t burden his wife.

Once the socializing hour was over the doors to the main ballroom opened, Corrin pulling him inside as Xander made his introductions. Soon after the music began to play, the pair standing off to the side as Corrin marveled over all the beautiful dresses. Gunter attempted to take a sip of his untouched wine, doing his best to stomach the sour grape juice.

After a few more brave tries of trying to drink the alcohol he surrendered, discretely leaning over to Corrin whose attention was elsewhere. “I wish I had a beer.”

She could only laugh, taking his still full wine glass from him and exchanging it with her empty one. “You’re funny. I’ll go inform Xander of your suggestion. Stay right here, okay? I want to dance when I come back.” Before he had a chance to reply she was sauntering off into the crowd, lost in the sea of people that surrounded them.

With a sigh Gunter shuffled through the crowd to find an empty space against the wall, standing against it as his arms crossed over his chest. Although he could see how happy Corrin was to be here, he truly felt out of his element, an unsettling feeling resting on his mind as he recalled all the stares from when they had arrived. Gunter thought he had prepared himself mentally for this evening, but it seemed his fears would try at every moment to sneak up on him.

Minutes passed as he waited against the wall impatiently. _Where was his wife? Had she gotten lost in the crowd on her way to find Xander? Had a younger gentleman asked her for a dance?_ He did his best to rid himself of such negative thoughts, having faith in Corrin that she would return soon, searching the crowd over and over for any sight of her.

“Are you ready to dance?” Corrin appeared out of the blue wearing a smile on her face, reaching out for his hand to pull him close to the center so that they could share a dance. The dancing lessons he had given her seemed to have paid off, the two easily falling into a nice rhythm as the slow piece for strings played at the front of the room. As they swayed back and forth, Corrin was happy to watch him, but Gunter couldn’t help but allow his eyes to wander around the room, another wave of depression washing over him as he took in the countless judging stares from the other couples on the floor. _Did they think that he did not belong here? Was he not fit to stand by the princess’s side as her husband? Would society always see him as unfit to be with her?_

"Corrin?"

"Yes Gunter?”

"You're so young and beautiful."

"You always say that to me."

"Well it's true. And you have so many more opportunities to meet a great many people."

"Gunter, what are you getting at?"

"You have your whole life ahead of you but you chose me."

"Is that a problem?"

"Perhaps someone such as yourself is wasted on an old geezer like me."

"Don't say that."

"Even if no one says it, that's what everyone here is thinking."

"Don't listen to them. I love you."

"And why do you?"

“Because,”  she took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts and feelings, “You’ve always been there for me, at every moment I needed support. Never once have you thought that my ideas were silly and ridiculous. You showed me that even in the darkness, there is always light to be found. After we lost you… The thought of never seeing you again broke my heart… For weeks I had nightmares where that moment would be the only thing I saw…” Her voice wavered for a moment, trying to keep herself composed so that the crowd would not look over to see her crying. Gunter placed a kiss on her forehead, bringing her head to lay down against his chest as they continued to sway back and forth to the music.

“I didn’t realize it until shortly before I was summoned to the capital, but I really did love you Gunter. When I was made to choose a side, I picked Nohr with the soul hope that I’d be able to go searching for you again. When we were finally reunited, I was so happy and relieved that my heart felt like it was going to explode.” She smiled up at him, a few tears slipping down her cheeks.

“Corrin…” He was speechless after everything she had said, a tender feeling warming his heart. This young woman—no, his wife, really did bring him all the happiness in the world.

“So do you believe me now? When I say I love you, and only you, I mean it with all of my heart.”

“I do. You’ve made me happier than I could have imagined Corrin, and I hope you know that my feelings for you run just as deep.”

“I do,” she sighed happily, hoping the song which they were dancing to would never stop. They were both so content to stay wrapped up in each other’s arms that they ended up dancing the long night away, not paying attention to anyone who glanced their way. _No one else matters,_ they both thought at one point during their dances, the serene feeling surrounding them allowing the pair to enjoy the rest of the evening to the fullest.

\-----

“My feet are exhausted. I’m never wearing heels for that long again.”

“I did offer to carry you back.”

“And show Camilla and Elise I couldn’t go one night wearing three-inch heels? No way!”

Gunter rolled his eyes, unlocking the door to what they called home—in reality, it was a section of the castle Xander had offered to them for the time being. He allowed Corrin to go ahead first, deciding to light a few candles to allow for some light as she immediately took off her shoes and threw them into a corner. She scurried off to their bedroom as he moved towards a pitcher sitting on the table, wanting a glass of water to refresh himself after the hectic evening. It had been years since he had attended a ball of that scale, and he had truly forgotten how busy and warm it could get while dancing.

“Would you like a glass of water Corrin?”

“Mm, no thank you, I’m okay,” came the reply from the room around the corner. He sipped at his water, hearing an odd rustling of fabric, wondering what on earth she was doing. Leaving his place in the entrance he made his way to their bedroom, laughing under his breath to find that Corrin was trying to undo the corset back by herself. She truly was foreign to this world of formal attire and fancy events. 

She was sitting down on the bed and clumsily reaching for the laces on the back of the dress. Gunter smiled at her failing attempts to loosen the corset and decided to offer his assistance.

“Do you wish for me to help you?”

“If you could, I would appreciate it.”

He entered the room, setting his glass of water on the desk and loosening his tie as she watched from her place on the bed. He joined her there, kneeling down in front of her and gently kissing her neck.

“Gunter, that tickles! Aren’t you going to help me out of this?”

“I certainly shall. Be patient, won’t you?” he murmured gently, smoky and soft.

She knew the meaning of that tone and understood immediately what was to transpire this evening. He had inadvertently trained her, much like the bell and Pavlov’s dogs, to become unbelievably horny when he used that tone of voice.

Her skin tingled as he reached out to her back, slowly sliding his hand down to loosen the lacing. She blushed, her body feeling overstimulated by the sensation of sparks from his touch.

But after he had loosened the corset, he withdrew and stood up, leaving her there to wonder what would happen next.

“G-Gunter?”

“I loosened it for you, but I can’t exactly help you take it off when you’re sitting like this.”

“O-oh… right…” She fidgeted slightly, trying to stand up but tripping over the long layers of fabric into his arms.

“Careful now.” He laughed as he gently brushed a stray hair from her face and kissed her.

However, she returned the kiss with much more force than he expected and it took his breath away. When their lips finally parted, he felt a very particular part of his body stiffen from her defenseless upward gaze.

 _This isn’t very fair_ , he thought, as he wrapped his arms around her. _This isn’t fair at all._

 It was just a blur from that point on, a whirlwind of discarded clothing as they undressed one another and fell down on the bed in a deep embrace.

They kissed, the feeling of electricity shooting up their spines as his hand reached down to finger her. She gave a soft moan of approval as he slowly pushed his fingers inside of her.

“Whenever we make love, I always think about the fact that you can get wet like this for a shriveled old man like me… I think you certainly have some strange tastes,” he simpered, shoving his fingers deeper inside, “but I hope that even an old man like me can continue to satisfy you.”

“Oh Gunter,” she sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck, “there isn’t anyone in the world I’d love to be with more than you.”

He smiled, continuing his ministrations as he kissed her, being certain to properly stretch her open so that it would be painless and enjoyable for them both. Once she was ready he positioned himself before her, stroking the inside of her thighs before sliding in effortlessly, taking a moment to bask in the feeling of it all. He allowed her to adjust for a moment, starting with slow and deep strokes before picking up the pace gradually. Her nails clawed at his back, surely to leave marks, as her teeth chewed on her bottom lip. He leaned forward to kiss her deeply, wanting to hear all her erotic moans and whimpers.

“Don’t keep quiet my love. I want to hear how good I make you feel.”

“M-mhm… G-Gunter! D-deeper!”

“Haa… you’re quite vocal and demanding tonight.”

“I’ve been bottling it up since I saw you in your suit earlier… I wish we could have skipped the ball to do this instead.”

“Maybe I would have made you wait regardless.” He smirked, picking up the pace slightly as he moved his hands to rest on either side of her head to steady himself.

“A-ah! Mm… You shouldn’t leave your lover waiting…” She moved one hand to his hair, entwining her fingers in the silver locks and pulling whenever he hit that perfect place inside of her.

“Only if they’re in need of a punishment, but I think we should save that idea for another night.” He left the idea hanging in the air, a deep blush rising to her cheeks as her insides tightened from the thought of being left to wait.

She could hear the low groan reverberate in his chest, whimpers falling from her own mouth more frequently as he repeatedly rubbed against her most sensitive area. She kissed him deeply, toes curling in the sheets below as the added friction from his quick movements drove her over the edge. Gunter watched as she squirmed beneath him, fingers pulling on his hair as she rode out her orgasm until it was over, laying exhausted on the bed as she tried to catch her breath.

He moved to rest his forehead against hers, panting heavily as he continued to move, taking his last few thrusts before reaching his own climax. They both stayed there for a moment, gasping for air so close to one another, Gunter shifting forward to press a kiss to Corrin’s forehead. She quickly caught his lips in a kiss before he could pull away, making sure she got her fill of kisses as they laid there in post-climax bliss.

\-----

“How do you feel?”

“Stiff.”

“My apologies. Perhaps breakfast in bed is in order for tomorrow?”

He chuckled, handing her the wet cloth he had fetched so that she could wipe herself down. He joined her under the covers once he placed all their clothing into one pile off in the corner, not wanting to trip on any of it come morning. She was instantly at his side once he settled himself into a comfortable position, resting her head on his bare chest and drawing small patterns across his skin. He brought her closer by wrapping his right arm around her, running his fingers through her messy hair. They laid there for a moment, not sharing any words between them as they both enjoyed the silence of being in one another’s company.

“You know, it still beats pretty steadily…” Corrin broke the quietness first, finding herself content in listening to his heartbeat.

“Was that a jab at my age my lady? I may be old but my heart is not weak.”

She laughed and sat up slightly so that she could look at him, reaching for his free left hand to hold in her right. “I always want to hear it beating steady. I know you say not to worry about your health… But please, promise that you will tell me if you are feeling unwell, at any moment, even if you don’t think it is serious. If anything were to happen to you—”

Although they were surrounded by darkness, Gunter could tell that her lip was trembling from the falter in her voice. He sat himself up against the pillows, pulling Corrin close and wrapping the comforter around her as he held onto her tightly. One of the things he hated most was seeing her upset in this way, especially over him. He placed kisses in her hair and rubbed her back soothingly, trying to keep her calm before any tears could start to fall onto her cheeks.

“I’m not going anywhere soon Corrin, so please save your tears. If anything were to happen to me, I promise, you will be the first to know.”

“You mean it?” She sniffled, trying to calm herself as he drew soothing circles across her back.”

“I am a man of my word. I would never break a promise to you.” He took her left hand and placed it against his heart, the cold feeling of her skin a stark contrast from his warmth.

She returned to listening to his heart beat, Gunter holding her there in this arms for a while longer, continuing to rub her back and place kisses in her hair until she fell asleep. Once he was assured that she would not wake, he carefully laid down in a comfier position with her still against him, wanting to protect her even at a time such as this. It was a while longer until he too was falling victim to his exhaustion, the image of his beautiful princess being the only person in his dreams that night. She was like a small and unexpected seed of happiness that had planted itself into his heart, restoring the light to his previous lonely and dark life.

_He would do everything in his power to repay the gift of renewed life she had given to him all those years ago._


End file.
